AMMK nominee detained for 2 hours by election squad

According to public election department sources, the AMMK functionaries obtained permit only to distribute pamphlets, but the South Chennai candidate started campaigning near Alandur in the constituency. The squad detained the AMMK functionaries for about two hours and after documents were shown, they were allowed to campaign.

“This has become a common affair with poll officials. We are stopped for silly reasons which are new to Chennai,” rued Stalin Venkatesh, an AMMK ward secretary.

There is constant delay in providing permits and vehicle passes for AMMK candidates. This is the latest in a series of such acts. “The poll officials continue to behave cheaply despite our party raking the issue up with the Election Commission,” AMMK South Chennai district secretary Sukumar Babu said.

“Right from symbol to permission everything is made a herculean task, but we are braving all odds,” he added.